Florida Today, 8/14: FCAT used for school's skill groups

[teach1st]

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbc...508140337/1006

Unsatisfied with fourth- through sixth-graders' learning gains in math, Principal Karen Kise decided to give them an extra push this year by grouping by abilities in that subject.

The West Melbourne School for Science has a large percentage of "high-function" students, she said, and the idea was to offer more in-depth instruction at the right pace.

"We're trying to meet the needs of the students," Kise said. "We wanted to take high-level kids and not just keep them high, but open up the high and make them even better."

But -- to her surprise -- the change has outraged some parents who say it sends the wrong message to children.

"I don't like the fact that now my child has been labeled for every single subject," said Enie Windle, who has a fifth-grade daughter at the school. "They're basically creating a class system, and I don't like that."

The West Melbourne school, a public school of choice, offers students an accelerated curriculum with a focus on science. Most of its students score at grade level or above on the FCAT.

That alone fuels the need for different instructional strategies, said Kise, who has 26 years of experience in Florida's education system.

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